The Winds of Change
by Shiny IvyLeaves
Summary: After traveling alone for over six years, Runningcrystal returns home to find that her owner has left her behind. And when one of Neopia's oldest enemies makes a comeback, Crystal must reunite with her friends and family to end Sloth's horrible reign...
1. The Journey Begins

**AN: **This is a story I wrote a few years back for the NT. I'm currently working on a sequel to this that I hope to post here, but I want the original up to do so. It's not as great as it could be, and I would love constructive criticism. So here it is, for the most part unedited from the Neopian Times Version. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Ivy clutched the paintbrush in her hands, tense from her win on the Fruit Machine. Her Xweetok, Runningcrystal, came running up from where she was waiting outside.<p>

"What did you get - Holy Fyora!" Runningcrystal exclaimed. In her owner's hands was a Faerie Paint Brush, the colour Runningcrystal had always wanted to be! They both stood in awe for a moment before Runningcrystal began running out of Sakhmet. Ivy followed, and the pair ran excitedly to the Rainbow Pool.

It didn't take them long to reach their destination. The Rainbow Pool wasn't particularly busy that day. Ivy gave Runningcrystal the Paint Brush, and the young Xweetok walked through the pool until she was fully submerged. After a single stroke of the paintbrush, the Xweetok felt herself sprout wings, and in an instant she had popped out of the pool, wings fluttering and new coat shining. Runningcrystal twirled around and giggled. She felt great, she felt refreshed, she felt... free.

"Crystal, you look great!" Ivy called. But Crystal was barely listening. She had just realized all the freedom she had now. She could go places that she could not go before, travel faster, float, all while using her silvery-blue wings. A longing to use them without ties or worries tugged at her heart. Crystal floated down to her owner.

"Um, Flight and Streamer are staying in the AstroVilla hotel tonight, and they invited me to join them. May I? I would love to show them my new wings," Crystal reluctantly asked. Ivy sighed before answering.

"All right. You can go. I'm going to be waiting at the bank with Icefeatherstream to pick you up in the morning. Have fun, dear!" Ivy said. Crystal was off in a hurry, as Ivy made her way to the bank.

* * *

><p>Crystal bid her friends farewell as she headed towards where her family was waiting. Her sister Feather was stretching her wings with Ivy on the Island Eyrie's back. Crystal flew up to join them. They exchanged nods, and they flew back to their Terror Mountain home. Once they arrived, Ivy got her serious face on.<p>

"Crystal, when I painted you yesterday, I noticed that you were acting ever so slightly different. I know why. Sometimes when pets get painted, they feel their new freedoms and all they want is to use them." Ivy walked closer to Crystal. "That is why I have decided to set you free." Ivy began to take off Runningcrystal's necklace, which symbolized Ivy's ownership of the young Xweetok. Surprised, Crystal stepped back.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, are you serious? I know I want to be free, but I don't want to be alone!" Crystal protested. Ivy smiled a weak smile before speaking.

"You won't be alone. You'll meet countless other pets on your journey. And you can always return home, whenever you want. You'll always be welcome," Ivy said, before hugging Crystal. "I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't the right thing for you, sweetie," Ivy whispered into her ear. She then took the necklace off of Crystal. Crystal felt as though a huge burden had just been lifted off of her shoulders. She took off reluctantly, waving to her old family.

* * *

><p>"Argh, I was such a fool!" Crystal mumbled to herself. She was sitting atop an Altadorian building, reviewing her past. The day she had left her family was between seven and eight years ago. She had wandered Neopia, which, over her travels, never seemed to change too much. A new generation of Neopians had come, and Crystal was glad to be among them, but she missed her family.<p>

Sighing, Crystal slung her bag from its spot over her shoulder and laid it on her lap, opening it up and taking out a golden flute. Taking a deep breath, Crystal lifted her flute up to her mouth and began to play an old tune she had picked up during her travels. It was beautiful, quickly transferring from sad to gleeful and back. The tune echoed through the streets, causing an awestruck crowd to gather under the perch. Crystal felt her wings flapping to the rhythm of her tune, which was growing in speed.

Soon she was floating above the ever-growing crowd. It seemed that playing her flute was the only thing she ever enjoyed anymore. Soon Crystal found herself floating above the streets, with the large crowd of Altadorians still gathering beneath her. Her tunes carried magical qualities, it seemed. Soon the final notes began to lengthen, and Crystal gently lowered herself down to the center of the crowd. The last note hung in the air, and once Crystal lowered her flute from her lips, a cheer rang out from her audience.

Crystal sighed quietly. Neopoints were flung from the Altadorians and onto the ground around her. Once she had picked them all up, Crystal simply smiled and flew back up to the top of the building to get her bag. Putting away her flute and the Neopoints she had gathered, Crystal flew off with the setting sun to her left. She knew exactly where she was going: Shenkuu. Why, she didn't exactly know. It seemed that an old, forgotten memory was compelling her to go there; like something or someone would provide an answer to a question she didn't even know. The first stars of the night began to glimmer overhead as Crystal flew on towards one of her favorite places to go.

By dawn Crystal arrived at the little land of Shenkuu. It was unusually busy that day. Crystal guessed that some shop was having a big sale or something. She shrugged and landed on one of the bridges and began to make her way towards the Exotic Foods shop, where she would pick up some Stramberry Juice and Chokato Dumplings with the Neopoints she had collected the previous day. Anxious to get something to eat, Crystal transferred from a walk to a slight jog. In her haste, she bumped another Neopet, sending it falling from the bridge. Realizing what she had done, Crystal reached down and caught the falling Neopet. It was a semi-young Female Plushie Kacheek with a familiar air to her. Crystal pulled the Kacheek back onto the bridge.

"Sorry 'bout that. I wasn't exactly looking where I was going," Crystal said once the Kacheek was safely on the bridge.

"It's fine. I should have been more careful and had my paw on the railing like my owner always told me to," the Kacheek replied, stifling a giggle. Crystal chuckled a bit herself.

"Well, I gotta go. Nice meeting you," Crystal said, jogging off in a hurry. Where had she seen that Kacheek before? She certainly didn't know any Plushie Kacheeks personally. But something about the way the Kacheek smiled, or maybe it was something else, tugged at Crystal's memory. She simply shrugged and continued to move towards the Exotic Foods Shop.

Crystal walked casually into the shop and up to the counter. The Nimmo who ran the place smiled at her. "What can I get you today?" he asked.

"I'd like some Stramberry Juice and Chokato Dumplings, please," Crystal replied, digging out her Neopoints from her bag. The Nimmo put her order on the counter and smiled, taking the Neopoints.

"Hey, I think I recognize you. Word on the street is you're a pretty decent flute player. Would you like a job here?" the Nimmo asked.

Crystal pondered for a moment. "I'll do it just for today, under the condition that I get the food for free," Crystal replied. When it came to free food, Crystal wouldn't turn down an opportunity.

The Nimmo thought for a moment before replying. "It's a deal," he said, giving her the food and the Neopoints she just gave him. Crystal put the Neopoints in her bag and took out her flute. With the food in one paw and flute in the other, Crystal sat down to eat her meal before playing. Once her stomach was full, she pulled her flute up to her lips and began playing one of her old tunes, drawing Neopets from outside into the little hut.

After playing for half the day, Crystal decided that her job was done. She walked out of the shop, sat on a nearby ledge, and played a soft tune. A gentle breeze blew, carrying the notes into the distance before they were lost in the noise of footsteps from traveling Neopians. The notes were too soft to be heard, so nobody did. Crystal knew that the only benefit of this song would be comfort for herself, since no crowd would gather to hear this song. Yet after six years this was the first of her melodies to be played for nobody but the player, and as the wind blew the notes into oblivion, a part of Crystal knew that this small variation was the first of many.


	2. Return

Crystal played until she found her eyes drooping from weariness. It was getting dark, and she hadn't slept the other night. She stowed her flute in her bag and brought out an old sleeping bag. Finding a shaded place to lay out her sleeping bag, Crystal let herself drift into the realm of dreams.

Crystal shook her head in her sleep. Rain was beginning to pour down as a storm lashed overhead. Thunder boomed out from above. The noise woke Crystal up. The rain began to come down in sheets, thoroughly soaking the young Faerie Xweetok. Deciding not to stay in Shenkuu any longer, Crystal flew off to the South. The winds lashed out furiously, making it hard for Crystal to fly. She pressed forward, and as she was leaving the outskirts, a large lightning bolt was flung out of the sky and struck the bridge that connected Shenkuu with the rest of Neopia. As the bolt dissolved in the air, the bridge snapped and began to fall away into the cliffs. Crystal swept in and grabbed the ropes that made the railings, holding the bridge together. She didn't want the two sides to fall away down the cliffs and be lost forever. And yet she did this knowing that nobody who had the equipment to fix the bridge would be out until the storm was over. She had to endure it.

And endure she did - all through the night until she could look up and see the sun's first rays of morning shining through the departing clouds. Crystal turned her head towards the city. A couple of Shenkuuians were making their way towards the broken bridge with the supplies needed to fix it. Crystal let them build around her, and once the bridge was fixed, she collapsed from exhaustion. The storm had tossed her about mercilessly, and having to hold the bridge really strained her muscles. After gaining a bit of strength, Crystal stood up.

"We thank you for helping us repair our only link to the outside world. If there is any way we can repay you, let us know," the owner of the Lunar Temple told her. Crystal pondered for a moment.

"Well, I am going to head out to snowbound Neopia Central, then Terror Mountain, so a nice thick coat might be nice," Crystal replied. Immediately she was given a thick yet comfortable winter coat. She nodded her thanks to the Shenkuuians and flew off towards the Neopian Capital.

Crystal flew for nearly a day before she reached the snow-covered Neopian Central. It was snowing lightly, and a breeze blew snowflakes in Crystal's face. Crystal landed gracefully before taking note of her surroundings. The snow was paw-deep. The Neopets of the central were walking about, getting gifts for their friends and family. It was nearly the Day of Giving, and everyone was buying last-minute gifts. Crystal let out a small breath and walked into the Food Shop to pick up some things to eat. Then she was going to pick up some books, then other various items. She went around doing her errands, wanting to have enough food to last the trip to Terror Mountain and still be able to give out some food on the Day of Giving.

When she finished gathering everything she needed, Crystal walked into the Neopia Central main square, as she referred to it. The area around the Money Tree was bare. Usually at this time of year, Neopets placed gifts around the tree to be picked up by friends when they couldn't mail them or give them in person. Crystal sighed. It was supposed to be a time of happiness, a time of giving, but no one was willing to give. Crystal thought that she could change that. She lifted herself onto one of the Money Tree's lower branches and took out her flute. She began to play an old Day of Giving tune that she had picked up. It was nothing more than a jumble of repeating notes, but it was beautiful. The notes were carried on the wind and were given a slightly different sound. Soon a crowd of Neopets was gathering, humming and putting sounds to the wordless song. Eventually some of the pets began placing their gifts around the tree, then dropping back into the crowd. More pets began doing so, and soon the ground was littered with gifts of all sizes. A more happy air went around the city.

But soon Crystal slowed down the notes, showing that her song was coming to an end. The crowd slowly began shrinking as the last notes were played. Crystal put away her flute and jumped down from the branch. She was ready for a take-off when someone tapped her on the shoulder from behind.

"Hello, Crystal, is it?" Crystal turned around. It was a young female Spotted Lupe with a Christmas Lupe's robe holding a small box who was speaking to her.

"Yes. How may I help you?" Crystal replied politely.

"For one thing, that song was beautiful. But, I found this little box near where I picked up my gift. It says that it was meant for you." The Lupe held out the box. Sure enough, there was a tag reading Runningcrystal on it. Crystal accepted the gift and nodded her thanks.

"Thanks for making sure this little box made it to me. I would never have noticed it," Crystal said.

"Hey, after that beautiful song, it was the least I could do." The Lupe smiled and walked off.

That was when Crystal realized that something was terribly wrong. The way that the Lupe spoke to her, and how she had to coax everyone to give their gifts, and how pets walked past each other with their heads down, not even chatting with each other like everyone usually did. For the first time, Crystal noticed the eerie silence that surrounded the usually bustling city. Even though it was most likely minor, there was still something wrong. Crystal didn't even know if the pets knew why they were acting that way - they just were. The thought of all that made a chill go through Crystal. She shook off the feeling and flew off towards Terror Mountain.

It had gotten dark by the time Crystal landed in the freezing realm of Terror Mountain. When she went there every year, she felt calm, even if a great tragedy had just happened to her. Probably because she spent her younger days there... Crystal wiped a threatening tear away from her eye. All her memories were stored in the snows of the mountain. She smiled to herself and walked up a mountain path.

Crystal came to the end of the path and looked up to see an old Neohome. It seemed to have been built eight to nine years ago...

That was when Crystal realized who this home belonged to. It was her old Neohome - the place where she spent her childhood. She burst through the door, expecting someone to be there. The home was silent.

"Well, this can't be right," Crystal breathed, walking towards her room. She wanted to see if any of her old things were there. She opened the door, seeing that everything was as she left it when she left her home. Everything was the same, except for one little thing. Resting on Crystal's beside table was a note. Crystal ran up to the desk, took the note, sat down on her bed, and began reading it.

_Dear Crystal,_

_If you're reading this, then that means that you have returned home. If you're hoping to find Feather and me, then, unfortunately, you're out of luck. In year 17 I have decided that I can't spare the time to remain here in Neopia, so I have left this planet for the place where I came from. It pained me so much to do it, and knowing that I could not say a proper farewell to you made it even more painful. But I did leave one thing for you. Hopefully you will have received a small box near the Day of Giving. If you haven't already, please open it. _

Crystal remembered the little box she had received earlier that day. She took it out of her coat pocket and removed the ribbons. Inside the box was a small necklace, with silk threads and a small yellow crystal as a centerpiece. Crystal smiled and put it on, then resumed reading.

_It's a charm I made for you when you would return to our home. But since you never did come back, I sent it to the Money Tree around the Day of Giving so it would be there for you to pick up. I hope you like it._

_I also thought that you should know that Lexi's pets are all painted the colours that they wanted to be. They're still in their Neohome in Shenkuu, living as peaceful as ever. _

"That's why I recognized that Plushie Kacheek! It must have been Flight!" Crystal half said, half sobbed. If only she knew... Crystal resumed reading.

_If you want to live with them, they'll be more than happy to take you. Or, you can always move in to Feather's home on Mystery Island. But remember, I'll always love you, even if I can't be with you._

_-Ivy_

After reading that letter, all the years that Crystal had spent maturing went down the drain for a minute or so. She threw a small tantrum.

"No! No, no, no! This can't be happening! Ivy has to still be here!" Crystal cried out in dismay, running around her house, looking for her owner. Eventually, when every corner of her house was searched, Crystal flopped down on her bed and cried.

Just when she thought her life could not get any worse, there was a knock upon the door.


	3. It Begins

Crystal wiped the tears from her eyes and went to the door. "What's anyone doing here now, of all times?" Crystal muttered before opening the door. Seeing who was at the door gave Crystal a big smile.

"Flight!" Crystal cried, hugging her old friend. Flight tried to push herself out of Crystal's grasp.

"Easy there, girl. I may be a plushie, but you're squeezing me too hard!" Flight said. Crystal let go of her old friend.

"What are you doing here? How are Lexi and your siblings? WHERE'S FEATHER!" Crystal asked all at once. Flight patted her.

"Everything is fine. Stop flippin' out," Flight said. "Let's go inside and discuss it over some refreshments. You do have some, right?"

"Yes, I do," Crystal replied. She led Flight inside and put some refreshments on the table that she had saved from her trip to Neopia Central. They were nothing more than a batch of cookies and some smoothies. Flight sipped her smoothie before speaking.

"Did you read the letter Ivy left for you?" Flight asked.

"Yes."

"Well then, that means I don't have to explain much. My family's doing just fine. Feather's happily living on Mystery Island. And we don't believe that Ivy is going to be coming back, even though we've pinpointed your location," Flight said.

Crystal glared at her. "Pinpointed my location?" Crystal growled in a slow and angry voice. Flight and Crystal stared at each other for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"Ivy said that she just might come back if she knew exactly where you were." Flight giggled. Crystal nodded.

"That definitely sounds like Ivy," Crystal said. The laughing ceased as Crystal sighed.

"Ivy... I really miss her. I wish I never went away. She might still be here..." Crystal was cut off by Flight's voice.

"She probably would have still left. Did you think that she'd stay forever? She does have another life, you know," Flight said.

A little tear ran down Crystal's cheek. "You're right. I - I should have never have thought that anyone would remain here forever. I just wish I could see her again, to tell her how much I miss her. Maybe she'd come back. Maybe just for a little bit, to visit me. Maybe - just maybe," Crystal said solemnly.

"Maybe you can! Lexi has already contacted Ivy a couple of times after her departure. Maybe she can arrange for a message directly from you to be sent! I can get you there as soon as possible!" Flight cried, before pausing for a moment. "But first, can we relate stories? I want to know what you did during your adventures, and I have some really fabulous tales to tell you."

"Sure. It would be nice to have and old friend I can talk to about what I've experienced. Why don't we go outside? The sun is looking brilliant on the snow right now, and there's a little cliff ledge in the back where we can sit," Crystal replied. They got out of their chairs and walked out of the back door. Crystal led Flight up a path and the pair sat on the ledge to tell their stories.

Crystal went first. She told Flight about all the great times she had, from the more recent time in Neopia Central to her very first wandering adventures. The thing that seemed to interest Crystal most was her flute playing.

"So your flute is really half of your life right now?" Flight asked.

"Well, it does get me Neopoints and food and a place to stay for a night every now and again. But it took me a lot of practice to get to that point," Crystal replied.

"Can you play for me? Please?" Flight asked eagerly.

Crystal nodded and took out her flute from her bag, which was still draped over her shoulder. She began to play some tunes that they both liked to listen to when they were young. Crystal heard Flight humming along. Crystal soon put her flute back.

"We had some really great times together when we were young, didn't we?" Crystal asked.

"We really did. I wish we could go back there..." Flight said, before telling her story. She spoke before Crystal interrupted at one point.

"You seriously got a Fountain Faerie Quest?" Crystal asked.

"How else could I have gotten painted Plushie?" Flight replied.

"Good point," Crystal sighed.

And then it happened.

Flight and Crystal stopped chatting as a large boulder-like item fell from the sky. It came down at great speeds, looking as if it could make a gigantic crater if it did not slow down. But, it did slow down, right before it crashed into the ground. Crystal could see it better. It was a large, silver metal sphere with the same red "V" that was on Virtupets Space Station. Crystal and Flight exchanged worried glanced as the metal sphere sprouted little legs and landed in Crystal's old front yard. A platform extended and revealed an opening in the sphere. A swarm of Grundos flooded out, their colors ranging from Shadow to Faerie and Robot to Fire, all fierce looking and ready for combat. Then an army of Mutant Grundos came marching out. The last two that came out were carrying a chair, perhaps a throne, and on that throne was a sight Crystal never wanted to see. Flight and Crystal whispered one dreaded word together.

"Sloth!"

"What's Sloth doing here? And why here on Terror Mountain? Why not somewhere else that has a safer landing zone?" Crystal thought anxiously.

The Grundos lowered the throne that Sloth was sitting on. All of the Grundos looked anxiously at him, as if they were waiting for a signal. Sloth nodded to one of the Mutant Grundos. The Grundo went right back into the sphere and brought out a small ray. Sloth took the ray and aimed it at Crystal's house.

"No!" Crystal silently cried. Sloth pulled the trigger, and a deep red ray destroyed Crystal's home.

"Crystal, I'm sorry," Flight whispered. Crystal clenched her paws into fists.

"This might only be the first part of his evil plan, but my home was the only remains of my family. Sloth is going to pay!" Crystal growled through clenched teeth.

"He might be too powerful for us," Flight observed.

"I don't care. C'mon, let's go," Crystal said.

"But what if he sees -" Flight was cut off.

"Shhhh. He won't see us. I've got some Faerie Abilities that can help us," Crystal said. She took Flight's paws in her own and focused her mind. The pair began to fade away; the only thing left from them was their imprints in the snow where they sat.

"Whoa, where'd we go?" Flight whispered.

"Long ago I was given an ability from an Air Faerie that let me turn invisible. A while later I figured out how to transfer invisibility to another pet when I turn myself invisible. It can really be useful in situations like the one we're in right now," Crystal breathed her reply.

"Awesome. They'll never see us coming!" Flight said.

"But they'll hear us unless you lower your voice!" Crystal said in a hushed tone. "Anyway, I'm going to fly in with you. Just hang on and trust me!" Crystal added. She grabbed onto Flight and took to the skies. Once she was at a height she was comfortable with, she got ready to fly down.

"Are you sure 'bout this? You know I'm afraid of heights, Crystal!" Flight asked nervously.

"I won't drop you! Just hang on and get ready for impact!" Crystal replied, readying herself. She positioned herself at a diagonal angle, and she surged forward, straight at Sloth. Flight let out a startled yell. Sloth looked up at the noise and formed a force field around himself. Crystal and Flight crashed into the field with a massive impact. Their invisibility disappeared and they appeared again. They fell to the ground.

"What's this? A pair of Neopets trying to do something to me? You do know that you're way in over your heads, don't you?" Sloth asked with an evil smile on his face.

"You destroyed my home. I wanted vengeance," Crystal replied, sitting up.

"Well, I needed somewhere to construct my new lair, and, well, this place seemed ideal," Sloth replied.

"You will never take Neopia, no matter what you do!" Crystal shouted.

"Ah, but I will. I can ensure you that. Minions, get them away from here," Sloth said. The Faerie Grundos flew at them and lifted them up and away into the skies. Crystal struggled as much as she could, but the Grundos were too strong; she couldn't get free. Once they had flown far enough that they were over the ocean, the Grundos dropped them.

"Never try to defy Sloth again!" one of them called as Flight and Crystal fell towards the ocean.

Crystal fluttered her wings and grabbed Flight. They floated a ways over the water.

"That was close," Flight said. Crystal simply nodded and flew towards Neopia Central. They landed near the Money Tree to see a shocking sight. Grundos were all over the place, doing paw-to-paw combat with innocent Neopets.

"Sloth's taking over!" Crystal cried out in dismay.

* * *

><p>And the battle for Neopia's freedom raged on for a couple of months, and in Sloth's favor. The Grundos who were fighting for Sloth were fierce, and Neopia was beginning to give up. Crystal and Flight battled along with other peace-craving Neopians, but soon they too were defeated.<p>

The battle for Neopia was over.

And Sloth had won.


	4. Reunite

**AN:** We're about two thirds of the way through with this part. I should have it all up by the end of the week.

I hate to be the one asking for reviews, but please? Just one? I'm mainly uploading this for constuctive criticism, and how am I to get that if nobody says anything? I know that there are people reading, so don't pretend that I can't see you on the traffic stats.

But anyway, enjoy part four!

* * *

><p>Neopia had only seen a year of Sloth's reign when Crystal had taken enough. She was living in Shenkuu with Flight's family. Everyone was grateful that Sloth wasn't going to make an example of them showing what he could do to Neopets who didn't obey him, but Crystal could not take it any longer. It was when she and her adopted family were eating dinner one night that Crystal lost her temper.<p>

"I can't take it anymore!" she said angrily.

"Can't take what? Isn't the dinner all right?" Sky the Royal Girl Acara asked. She was the one who made the meal.

"It's fine, Sky. I'm talking about how we live right now! Always wondering when Sloth is going to attack, not being free, I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! We need to do something! We're just sitting here like nothing's going on! I don't know about you guys, but I'm going out to find Feather. She's experienced in the Battledome. She's probably already coming up with a plan. I'm going to be there to help Feather free Neopia," Crystal said.

"But what if Sloth finds out? He'll destroy you!" Streamer the Faerie Xweetok said worriedly.

"That's a chance I'm willing to take," Crystal replied.

"Not by yourself," Flight said. "It's too dangerous. I would never forgive myself if I could have protected you when and if Sloth attacked you," Flight added.

"Yeah, I wanna go too!" Streamer said.

"I'm not gonna be left out!" Sky added.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, guys. I can't take all of you. And if we traveled in a big group, Sloth would be more suspicious! Besides, it's too dangerous for all of you," Crystal said.

"But it's still dangerous for you to go by yourself, or even with just one of us! If Sloth sees you up to something, urgh, I can't imagine what he could do to you if he finds out you're trying to take away his power!" Lexi pointed out.

"Don't worry, guys. I've got a plan. Didn't you say that Ivy gave Feather to someone who lives on Mystery Island? I bet she's still living there. And Sloth never goes there. He says he can't take all the sunlight. So, it would be the perfect place to devise a plan to restore peace to Neopia!" Crystal explained. Streamer looked as if she was about to say something, but Crystal cut her off.

"If you're wondering about how I'm going to get there without being noticed, then I have your answer. Flight and I told you guys about what happened when Sloth destroyed my old home, right? Well, I can turn myself and one of you guys invisible so we can travel without being noticed," Crystal said.

"Hmm, all right then. But who are you taking?" Flight asked.

"If it's all right with everyone, I'd like to take you, Flight. It'll be just like old times," Crystal replied, smiling.

"Thanks." Flight smiled back.

"You guys are going to need supplies for the journey. Wait here while I go pack you some," Lexi said, getting up and walking towards the kitchen.

"This is going to be a great adventure. But I don't know if I'm ready yet," Flight said.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure you're safe. And besides, would I have offered to take you if I didn't think that you could do it?" Crystal reassured. "We'll be fine. And once our adventure is over, Neopia will be free."

"All right, I've got a week's worth of food and other supplies for each of you. I'll store it in Crystal's bag and then you guys can go. Just be careful, all right?" Lexi came back from the kitchen with her arms full of things that they would need. She dumped them in Crystal's bag and handed it to Crystal.

"Don't worry, Mom, we'll be fine. At least, that's what Crystal says," Flight said. Crystal shrugged and slung her bag over her shoulder. The pair walked out of the door. Crystal grabbed Flight's paws, fluttered her wings and the pair was lifted into the air. She closed her eyes and focused, and soon she and Flight were gone from sight. Crystal flew off towards Mystery Island.

The trip took a couple of days. Crystal and Flight landed on little islands whenever they needed to sleep or eat. Only a little bit before they reached Mystery Island Crystal started up a conversation.

"Are you as bored as I am, Flight?" she asked.

"I'm too scared to be bored," Flight replied.

"I just thought this journey would have a little more action," Crystal sighed.

"Just be glad that Sloth hasn't noticed us yet," Flight pointed out.

They ate for a bit and rested afterwards. It was peaceful right then and there. The sun was beating down, a gentle wind blew, the sea waves lapped softly at the shore of the little island. It was as if Sloth had never taken over Neopia, as if Flight and Crystal were relaxing on the Mystery Island Beach without a care in the world. Crystal wanted to live like this forever, but she had a mission to complete. She grabbed Flight and flew off towards Mystery Island.

When they got there and Crystal made them visible again, they could glance at each other and see their mouths wide open at what they were seeing. On the west side of Mystery Island (where they had landed), something huge was going on. A large community of pets was walking around the clearing, some hauling attack and defense items for the Battledome, while others were practicing paw to paw combat with each other. They all looked tough and eager. Crystal glanced around to see that a pile of Battledome items was located at the far end of the clearing.

Right after Crystal and Flight had arrived, an Island Eyrie entered the clearing near where the Battledome items were. Over her shoulder were a couple of shields and swords. She laid the supplies on the pile, and when she looked up, she saw Flight and Crystal. Crystal's eyes lit up as she stared into the familiar amber eyes of the Eyrie, and softly said the name of her old sister.

"Feather!"

More eyes were set on the travelers. One fierce looking Tyrannian Techo sprang at them, obviously trying to protect the clearing. The Eyrie flew forward and pried the Techo off of Crystal.

"Easy there. I know these guys. They're not here to attack us," she scolded him. The Techo hissed and dropped back. The Eyrie began talking to Crystal and Flight.

"Flight! What are you doing here? Crystal – I - I thought I'd never see you again. What are you guys doing here? How'd you find out about this place? Does Sloth know?" she asked anxiously.

"Calm down, Feather. We never found out about whatever it is you're doing here; we just came here because we hoped you had a plan to defeat Sloth. We want to help," Flight explained.

"Let me guess, Crystal convinced you to accompany her?" Feather asked.

"Yeppers." Crystal giggled.

"Well then, I'll take you guys to my hut, so we can talk about plans over some refreshments. Crystal - I'm so glad you finally came home," Feather sighed, then led them down a forest path until the reached a small bamboo hut. Inside there was nothing more than some tables and cabinets, a couple of chairs and four beds. They sat down at the table and Feather brought out some tropical berries and drinks.

"So, what're you planning, Feather?" Crystal asked.

"Well, you guys know that Sloth declared that the only place one can fight him is in the Battledome, and that both sides have to keep on fighting until one side surrenders, and if by some chance we do defeat him, then he'll give up his reign over Neopia, right? Well, we're going to fight him and his army under those terms. I rounded up some pets who want peace restored in Neopia, and we developed a location where we can train each other and store supplies. That location was the clearing you arrived at. Hopefully, if we're strong enough, we can challenge him and his army to Battledome matches so we can end his rule," Feather explained.

"But what if you guys aren't smart enough?" Crystal asked. "You know that Sloth is probably going to be too strong for you."

Feather smirked. "Don't worry about that. I've contacted some outside forces that'll be able to help us out."

"Outside forces? Who did you contact? Who? Who? WHO?" Crystal asked anxiously. Normally she wouldn't be so curious, but it was the look on Feather's face that made Crystal want to know so much.

Again Feather smirked. "You'll find out soon enough, Crystal."

"How can we help you guys with this effort?" Flight asked.

"You can train with us. I know you guys are strong battlers, but you should make sure your skills are fresh before I take you into combat," Feather replied.

"All right," Flight and Crystal said together.

* * *

><p>Over the next day or so Crystal, Flight, and Feather helped the group sharpen their skills. Crystal often went to the Harbour to see who the outside forces were. Two mornings after Feather met Crystal and Flight again, as Crystal was soaking her feet in the ocean near the Harbour, she saw a small boat in the distance. As it grew nearer, Crystal could identify people and a couple of pets on it. Then when it grew even closer, Crystal could identify a figure in the front of the little boat. Crystal's face it up as she saw the face of someone who was more than an old friend. Even though she had grown, it was still her. Crystal stood up and waved her paws broadly, shouting the name she never thought she'd ever get the chance to shout.<p>

"Ivy!"


	5. The Final Battle

Crystal jumped up and down and called to her old owner. After she got the news that Ivy had left, she thought that they'd never see each other again. Her eyes met Ivy's for a moment, before Ivy fell over the side of the boat from leaning over it so much. She swam to shore and was hauled to her feet by Crystal.

"Ivy! Wha-what are you doing here? Why are you here?" Crystal asked anxiously. They hugged each other before Ivy answered.

"Feather told me that she needed some 'outside help' for the big battle against Sloth. So, she used some of her connections to contact me, asking me if I could come back with some other Neopians so we could coach the fighting when the time came. Some of us brought some decent Battledome pets to help fight as well. But Feather didn't tell me that you would be here! I would have begged the Captain to speed up if she did!" Ivy explained.

"I just got here a couple of days ago! And Feather didn't say that you were coming! I asked her, but she refused to tell me who the 'outside help' was..." Crystal replied, before adding, "Ivy! You're here!" Crystal collapsed into Ivy's arms.

"Yes, I am, Crystal. I can't believe I'm here either, trust me. But after you left, and I left, I thought I'd never see you again, little Runningcrystal. But I'm here." Ivy stroked Crystal's fur and spoke softly.

Crystal pushed herself out of Ivy's arms. "You don't have to comfort me, Ivy. I'm not a year old anymore!"

"Right, sorry. It's just been so LONG! I miss the old times, Crystal. Now, can you bring me to Feather? She said we'd discuss some battle strategies, and old times." Ivy giggled.

"Sure. C'mon, her training area is over this way." Crystal smiled and led Ivy to the clearing.

"Feather! Long time, no see," Ivy said once they reached the training clearing and Feather's hut.

"Ivy! How's life treating you? Good, I assume?" Feather asked.

"Good. If you haven't noticed, I've found Crystal," Ivy replied.

"Hey! Stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Crystal protested.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist." Ivy chuckled.

"C'mon, let's go into our hut so we can discuss how to get Neopia out of this Sloth-created mess," Feather said, and the trio went into the little hut.

Flight looked up from her book, which she was reading on an old bed.

"Ivy, you're finally here! What took you so long?" Flight asked.

Crystal put her paws on her hips. "Ok, who else knew about Ivy's arrival?" she asked.

"Basically everyone here but you." Feather smirked.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Crystal glared.

"We wanted it to be a surprise!" Flight smiled.

"Well, it certainly was surprising." Crystal smiled back.

They all sat down at the table and began to talk strategy. Ivy was the first one to speak.

"First off, how are we ever going to be able to contact Sloth so we can challenge him and his army to a Battledome match?" she asked.

"We definitely can't fly up to the Space Station and find him," Crystal pointed out.

"And we won't. What I'm planning on doing is having our whole army do something together that would bring Sloth down here to us instead of us going up to him. Then we challenge him to a Battledome match for Neopia's freedom. Hopefully, he won't refuse," Feather answered.

"That's a good idea. But how'll we beat him? He's really tough," Ivy asked.

"If you haven't noticed, Ivy, we're all training each other here. We'll challenge him either once we're ready or when Sloth finds out and tries to stop us from training. Speaking of which, let's get back to combat training." Feather pointed out. "We can continue our strategy talk later. Crystal, I'm going to teach you sword-play." The pair got out of their chairs and walked towards the clearing.

"All right, Crystal, are you ready?" Feather asked once they both had a sword in their paws.

"I think so," Crystal replied, clutching her Sword of Skardsen tightly in both paws.

"First off, you need to let go of your sword with one paw," Feather pointed out. Crystal let go of the sword with her left paw. "Now, the first trick I'm going to teach you is a basic one. First, hold your sword so that the tip is facing the sky. Next, curve your paw so that your palm is facing up. Then, twist your paw as far as it'll go and when you can't go any further, throw the sword up and catch it with the other paw. Thrust it forward at your opponent and the move is done," Feather explained.

"That's simple?" Crystal asked. She wasn't used to something that complicated that was supposed to be simple. But she still did it. Even though it took a couple of tries, she mastered the skill and could do it fluently.

"Great job! Now the second one is a little more complicated, since it requires some paw to paw combat. First, you thrust the sword forward, then you slash your opponent with your sword at a diagonal angle. Then, you jump up and do a kick with each foot. Once you land you twirl around. You transfer the sword from one paw to the other, then turn the sword sideways and shove it forward," Feather said, demonstrating the move.

Crystal practiced the move for a while before she could do it as well as Feather. "This is getting easier. Show me some real sword play!" Crystal challenged.

And Feather did. They practiced all sorts of battle moves, and even practiced against each other. Soon they both felt like they could take on Sloth a couple of times before tiring. But they knew that it would be a tough battle. So they continued to train, sometimes training others in the army and other times doing battles against each other. They continued training for a couple of weeks before everyone decided that they were ready to take on Sloth. In the clearing in which they trained, they developed it into an area that Sloth had to come to. Everyone had made signs, clothing, anything that they could write on, and wrote on them "Sloth Stinks!" and paraded around the clearing, chanting the words that were on their signs. They had only done it for a minute when Sloth teleported himself to the center of the clearing with a couple of Mutant Grundos.

"What is the meaning of all this?" he asked furiously.

"We challenge you and your army to a Battledome match for Neopia's freedom!" Flight, Feather, Crystal and Ivy said simultaneously.

"With this measly army? Ha! This'll be an easy win. You know the terms, correct?" Sloth smirked.

"Every army member fights one from the opposing army, and the winner of each match enters the main fighting arena to assist the leaders of each army? Unless you've changed the terms, then we know them," Feather said.

"All right then. Let us travel to the Battledome," Sloth said.

Sloth snapped his fingers and both armies were in Battledome arenas. In the Main arena where the leaders would be facing off were Sloth and two Mutant Grundos, Flight, Feather and Crystal. Ivy entered and stood at the edge of the arena, ready to give any required coaching. Crystal tossed Ivy her bag, which was still over her shoulder up until then.

"Hold my things for me, please!" she called. Ivy smiled and nodded.

And the battling began.

Crystal clutched her Sword of Skardsen and sprang forward, using all the moves that Crystal had taught her, thoughts buzzing rapidly through her head.

"Toss and thrust, kick and twirl, punch and stab, whoa! I almost hit Flight! Stay calm, Crystal. All right, stay calm. Twist and swish, ooh! I took down one of the Mutants! Focus, Crystal. Go for Sloth, help Feather take him down."

Crystal rushed towards Sloth and thrust her sword at him. He turned around and grabbed the sword. Crystal saw Feather leap over him and bring her sword down like a club. Sloth released the sword for a moment, and Crystal drew it back.

Neopets that had defeated their opponents in other arenas were beginning to gather, fighting each other and making sure their side wasn't overwhelmed. The battle raged on, each side refusing to back down. More thoughts buzzed through Crystal's mind.

"Remember the first move the Feather taught you. Twist, toss and lunge. Great! He took some damage. Now, use it like a club!"

Crystal had only managed one more strike when a Mutant Grundo pried her off of Sloth. She kicked back at him, trying to get herself free so she could help restore peace to Neopia. The Grundo threw her over Sloth's head. She would have slammed into the wall of the arena if she hadn't used her wings to slow her fall, so she landed on the ground instead of crashing into the wall. She skidded and threw up dust clouds. As she tried to get the dust out of her eyes she dropped her sword. When the dust cleared, she saw Sloth standing over her with her sword in his hand. Then she heard Ivy's voice.

"Catch!" she called.

Crystal reached up her paw and caught a metal rod; then she could identify that it was her flute. Thinking fast, she used it as a club and slammed it into Sloth. It shattered, letting out an earsplitting screech. Sloth fell back to where Flight and Feather were. They thrust their swords at him, until they heard him say something no one ever thought they'd hear.

"I SURRENDER!"


	6. Back to Normal

All eyes were laid on Sloth, looking as if he were crazy. The battle had barely gone on for fifteen minutes and he had already surrendered! But no one questioned him. The Grundos that were fighting for him dropped what they were doing and fell back, leaving only the Neopets that were fighting for peace and Sloth in the arena. Crystal glanced around, mystified. Everyone who was helping Feather, Crystal and Flight was just standing there, not exactly sure what to do. Crystal flew up to where Flight and Feather were standing.

"We did pretty well, didn't we?" she asked.

"Yeah, I guess we did. But what are we going to do with this guy?" Flight replied, glancing down to where Sloth was lying on the dirt.

As if to answer her question, a cloud of purple smoke filled the arena, showing the arrival of Fyora.

"Don't worry, girls. I'll take care of him. But I have to say, thank you. You had the courage to do what no one else could have done. Neopia can live in peace once more," Fyora said, smiling.

"You are welcome, Fyora. We would do anything for peace," Feather said, doing a little curtsey.

Fyora laughed. "You don't have to curtsey for me just yet. I haven't resumed my leadership over Neopia. It will take a while for things to go back to the way they were before Sloth took over," she said. Then she was gone, and so was Sloth.

Ivy ran up to the group and gave them all a big hug.

"That was awesome, you guys! I can't believe we already won!" she said.

"Ivy! Let us go! You're squishing us!" Crystal protested, trying to push herself out of Ivy's grasp.

Ivy released them. "Sorry. I couldn't help myself." She smiled.

"Well, let's go home. Lexi's probably worried about us," Flight said.

"Right. We better get you home," Ivy said.

"Can I ride on Feather's back? Being carried by Crystal isn't one of my preferences," Flight asked.

"Sure. I don't mind," Feather said.

"I'll ride on you, too, if that's ok. Crystal can stretch her wings and fly next to us," Ivy suggested.

"Fine by me. Now come on. We're wasting time! And I'm hungry," Crystal said. Everyone laughed. Flight and Ivy got on Feather's back, and they flew off towards Shenkuu and Lexi's home.

It took them a couple of days, but they made it. Everyone decided that Flight should be the one to knock on the door, since it was her family. She got off of Feather's back and knocked on the door. When Lexi came to the door, her face lit up.

"Flight! You're home! How'd it go? Did we win?" she asked, hugging her first pet.

"Yes, Lexi, we won. And look who I brought!" Flight said.

Lexi looked up. Crystal waved, Ivy smiled, and Feather flapped her wings in a greeting. Lexi let go of Flight and ran up to the trio.

"Ivy! You're-you're back! Why are you back? Why didn't you tell me that you were coming back?" Lexi asked frantically, before hugging her old friend.

"Feather needed me to come over to help with the battle against Sloth. I knew ahead of time that your Flight was going to be there, but nobody told me that I was going to see Crystal again," Ivy replied. "I'm just glad that we're reunited."

"Me too. You guys need to be together. It was meant to be," Lexi said. "Why don't you guys come in? I'll get Sky to make a big victory dinner for you."

"Why not? I'm starving, and I love Sky's cooking," Crystal said.

"I think you should get her to do it fast. Crystal's been going on about how hungry she is for the whole trip!" Feather complained.

Lexi chuckled. "All right. Come on in. Streamer and Sky will be so excited to find out that you're back. Especially you, Ivy. We've been waiting for your return for so long!" Lexi offered.

The family walked into the Neohome and sat down at the table. Streamer and Sky came running in.

"Is it true? Is it true? Is Ivy here - OMG, she is!" Streamer said excitedly.

"Yes, I'm back, girls. No need to get overly excited," Ivy said.

"Yes, there is! You're here! You said that you would never come back! But you're here, sitting at our table! I can't believe it!" Sky shrieked.

"Sky, can you please just make us dinner so Crystal won't complain about it for the next couple of weeks?" Feather asked.

"What? I'm hungry!" Crystal complained.

"All right, I'll make you guys the best dinner you'll ever get the chance to have!" Sky said, running into the kitchen to start. Streamer sat down at the table.

"So, Crystal, why don't you tell me about some of the things that I missed?" Ivy asked.

"Well, I went on hundreds on adventures. I helped repair one of the bridges in Shenkuu; I helped Neopia Central celebrate the day of giving..." Crystal said, talking about all the adventures she had.

"So Sloth really destroyed our old Neohome?" Ivy asked once Crystal finished.

"Yep. That was the first sign that Sloth was back and ready for revenge," Crystal replied.

"Hmm, so that means that we need a new Neohome," Ivy said.

"YES! We get to move to Shenkuu!" Feather cried.

"I was thinking something more like Neopia Central," Ivy said.

"We might be able to move right next to you so I can come over and care for Crystal and Feather when you're away," Lexi offered.

"As long as it's all right with your pets." Ivy smiled.

Sky came into the dining room with her arms full of food. "Dinner is served!' she said, laying the food on the table.

"Wow, this looks delicious!" Crystal said, digging in to her meal.

"When she's hungry, Crystal can eat as much as the Turmaculus!" Flight said. Everyone laughed.

After everyone finished their meals it was nearly time for Ivy and her family to leave and find a new place to live in Neopian Central.

"Are you sure you have to go now? Can't you stay for a bit longer? You should at least pick up some food for the trip," Flight asked.

"We're sure. You guys can come and visit us whenever you guys want, though," Feather replied.

"Wait! Before you guys go, I have something to give you." Lexi came running down the stairs with something wrapped in a cloth. She handed it to Crystal. Crystal opened it.

"It, it's my old flute! But how? It shattered in the Battledome arena." Crystal turned the flute over in her paws.

"I repaired it. I know how much you enjoy playing it," Lexi replied.

"Play it for us! Please?" Sky asked.

Crystal smiled and played the first song that Ivy taught her. It flowed throughout the house and outside. Crystal glanced down and saw that the necklace that she had received right before she had met Flight was glowing. "What's going on with my necklace?" she asked.

"I, uh, made it so that it reacted with your charm so that the notes would be more pure. I hope you like it!" Lexi said.

"Thank you. Now c'mon, let's go," Ivy said, mounting Feather's back. Crystal and Feather flapped their wings and flew off into the distance, waving at their old friends.

"Be careful! Neomail us when you get there!" Flight called after them.

"All right, Crystal, Feather. We're home!" Ivy said to her pets a month or so later. They stared up at a huge Neo-mansion in Neopian Central. Lexi and her pets came up behind them.

"Isn't it great? We had to split the money so we could share it," Lexi said. Crystal felt young again.

"C'mon! Let's go explore it!" she said, running through the front door.

The Neo-mansion was as big on the inside as it was on the outside. The living room already had furniture and a Flat Screen Neovision TV. The kitchen and dining room had more than enough space to store and eat food. There were six bedrooms, each painted a different color. Crystal could look out almost any window and see a huge backyard with a pool and swing sets. Crystal loved it. She came back out, panting from exploring the whole Neo-mansion.

"Our house is awesome!" she said.

"Yes, it is. And it's all ours," Lexi said.

"We get to share it, your family and mine!" Flight said excitedly.

"OMG, we get to be roomies!" Crystal said happily.

"Lexi is going to take care of you and Feather while I'm away. But I promise I'll come and visit," Ivy explained.

"So you're not staying?" Crystal asked.

"Not forever, Crystal. But I will be here for long periods of time," Ivy replied.

"Anyway, let's get in and get settled down. It's getting pretty cold out here," Lexi suggested. Everyone nodded and walked inside.

And over the months to follow Neopia resumed its peaceful ways, everyone always on the lookout for another one of Sloth's schemes to take over. Crystal and her family could enjoy life to the fullest, since everyone was together. Life was as it should be.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>So that's that then. Hope you enjoyed it. This saga isn't quite complete yet; I still have a few plot holes to fill and characters to introduce. So be on the lookout for the next edition in this trilogy in the making!

Happy writing!

~Shiny IvyLeaves


End file.
